Gender Roles in the Epic of Gilgamesh

Summary: Gender plays a very significant role in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Although the main characters of the story, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, are male, and while men were considered to be the most powerful and wisest humans and gods, women had the power to significantly influence these men.

Gender Roles in the Epic of Gilgamesh

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender plays a very significant role. While women were not the most powerful gods nor the strongest or wisest of humans, they still had tremendous influence. Though the main characters of the story, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, are male, women did not play a necessarily minor role. With all the women that play a role in the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender is a topic worthy of discussion.

The obvious role of men in the Epic of Gilgamesh is that of the position of power. Anu, a male, is the most powerful God. Furthermore, not only is Gilgamesh the king of Uruk, but he is also two-thirds divine, which gives him unparalleled power, at least in the human world. This is evident in the way he rules. "By day and by night his...